DANIELLE
Dani
I woke up and everything was a haze.
The entire night was a blur, I hardly remembered a thing until I looked around the strangers apartment to see a plump chubby pretty girl standing in front of me in the center of the room. And at the foot of the couch I'm laying on being Cash just sitting there. Then the whole night started to play out in my head and all I can remember is the moments that led to me passing out. The drugs...
Did I really stoop this low to life to start using? To become a addict? We're my thoughts really that bad?
"Cash I-" he cut me off immediately.
"You are so lucky," he breathes out. "Lucky as fuck that when she tried to use your phone to find someone to pick you up that I called immediately. Ya phone was locked and you couldn't speak one word to let her know what the code was. Thank God I called when I did."
"I was fine." I lie. Truth is I must've been pretty messed up for Cash to be here. But I don't exactly know what all happened.
"No the fuck you wasn't Dani. I mean why would you take Crack? Why would you do that to yourself?" I can hear the confusion in his voice. And I feel so guilty watching him stare at me with somewhat worry and disappointment.
I stand up pulling my jacket closer to me. "I took it to forget about some shit and it worked. I don't get what the issue is."
"Yeah it worked so good that you were almost raped. Good thing I came in time." The girl finally speaks up.
I play it off like I don't care. "Can we go now?" I ask nonchalantly. Part of me is embarrassed to have a conversation with a stranger about how I was just sprung out. If she knew me she'd know I don't really smoke, barely even touched a drink. She'd know I'm perfectly fine and nothings wrong with me. I'm not the type of person to become an addict.
"Nah," I mug the hell out of Cash. "You going to tell her thank you."
"Man." I try to brush past him but he steps in front of me gripping my shoulder he yanks me towards her. This side of him one I've never seen before.
"I'm not about to ask you again." I look up at him taking his into appearance in. Though his waves are in tact he looks so stressed. Bags under his eyes, a random t-shirt on with some sweats that don't even match. He looks like he's been going through hell.
I look over at the girl to my surprise is staring at me with sympathy. "Thank you for helping me out last night."
She just gives me a nod. Cash being okay with that takes my hand in his and drags me out of the woman's apartment.
As soon as we are inside the car I begin. "Can you take me-" he cuts me off punching his steering wheel causing me to jump. "Cash I-"
"How could you do something so stupid?!" He raises his voice at me. This was the first time I've ever seen him genuinely upset. "You know what. I'm not even going to do this with you." He mumbles the second part starting his car up he gets us out of the parking lot.
Driving full speed not caring about the thought of getting pulled over. "Cash I don't....I don't." I kept cutting myself off not really knowing what to say.
The entire ride is silent and I can tell we're going in a completely different destination from mine or his house. I didn't panic or ask him though because I know he'd never put me in harms way.
I'm confused when I see we're pulled up at a tall apartment complex in a good neighborhood. "Where are we?" I ask lowly.
He runs a hand down his face sighing. "That day before you got mad at me I pulled some strings. Used the money I been saving up to a buy a apartment. That way you would have a place to stay. Mari told me what was happening to you, we got into it and whole about it."
My mouth drops. I can't believe my ears, nobody has ever done something so thoughtful for me. As his eyes met mine I can see that their filled with love. Cash didn't care about the fact that I've been mean to him, playing mind games, dogging him, spending time with Kades, or Cas & Tez. Hell he didn't even care that he had to find out today that I'd taken crack last night. As he sits here looking in my eyes I can tell not a things changed. He's not judging me, or disgusted by me. He still cares about me. And his care is something I don't deserve.
"You really...you really did something like that for me?" My voice is faint and I can't help but let the smile spread over my face. Though my head is pounding like crazy and I feel horrible from what I did to myself last night I still manage to feel a little better hearing that.
He scratches behind his neck shyly. "Yeah I couldn't let you be alone. Why would I let you go thru something like this when you got me? You my Dani." My smile widens at his words.
"Yours?" I question leaning in a little. He stares at me with admiration.
Cash likes his lips and says lowly. "I've wanted you ever since we was kids. You gotta know that Danielle."
I nod. "I know it now." I bite down on my bottom lip looking around the parking lot to see nobody else in sight. I lean over gripping his shirt I pull him close to me. I pick him on the lips drawing him in even more. His hands wrapping around my waist he tries to fight the urge to go all in but can't help it.
"I can't let you hurt me." Cash mumbles against my lips his wet lips grazing mines sending sensations up my spine.
I wrap my arms around his neck moving my hands up running my fingers across his scalp. He closes his eyes falling deeper against me. "Just don't hurt me Cash." I breathe out as I move down to his neck planting wet kisses.
"Wait wait." He hurries up and pulls away. I can see his neck wet from me kissing on it and his lips a little bit too. He has this look in his eyes I've never seen before and it's far from sexual tension or some type of horniness. Cash's face is dead serious and some type of guilt.
"What's going on?" I ask scooting away from his hold a lil. He moves back into his seat but the both of us still facing one another.
He looks away not answering. "Jose." I call him again this time by his government to let him know I'm serious.
"I want to tell you something so bad. But it's not my secret to tell." Cash mumbles. Automatically my stomach starts hurting even more and I start getting worried. Hoping and praying he's not caught up in all this mess that I think he is.
"Tell me." I say dead seriously searching his face.
"I can't," he shakes his head. "This. Me and you," he motions between us. "Is something I've wanted for the longest. If I tell you the truth you'll hate me. I don't want to ruin us."
"I swear to god if you don't tell me." I warn.
His eyes meet mine and he can tell I'm serious. "Everybody is lying to you. People pretending they care when they don't. Now I wasn't there but-"
"Just tell me." I snap.
"I know what happened that night." He admits quickly.
I'm taken back. My eyes watering a little I shake my head in denial. "No no. You would've told me if you knew. That night when we were together you would let me know-"
"I slowly saw you getting more and more hurt. Your smile fading, doing things you wouldn't normally do. I didn't want to hurt you even more." He explains.
I look forwards swallowing down every bit of fear inside of me. "Just tell me what happened." I beg. This was the moment I've been waiting for. This is what I've done all of this for. This is what I've risked so much for.
The truth.
And yet here I am scared knowing that I'm about to hear it.
"Kades just came into town. He was supposed to be making some moves with the Chase's dad. He set this whole VIP party up. It was Cas, Vanni, Tez, Kades, Penny, and their father. Your dad owes their dad some money. He came to tell him that he didn't have it. Things started getting crazy an argument broke out and with Cas being the next in line all eyes was on him," I can feel my heart beating fast as I was hearing about everything that's being told to me. "Everybody was chillin from what I heard. And out of no where Mr. Chase comes pressin Cas. Telling him how much of a bitch he's looking like. Telling him he won't ever run the city if he don't stick up for their money. I mean the fee wasn't a lot it was only like a hundred bucks but shit was escalating quick. It's getting so bad that Cas's dad pistol whips him, he's beating his ass in front of everybody. At this point only thing left to do is to prove himself that he can as his dad says run the city. I won't go into details but he forced all three of his sons to torture and murder that man in that empty club that night. But Cas? He uh..." Cash pauses clearing his throat looking like this felt uncomfortable to even talk about. "He had to do worse. He had to...well you know he did what he did. And from what Kades says Cas was the one forced to tie those weights to Tony's legs and dump him into the water. All him by himself. I'm sorry you had to find out like this and I hope you don't hate me. I just figured you should know the truth," his voice says in a pleading tone. His eyes filled with regret and guilt.
"You might not believe me but Kades the one who told me."