A King is Born (7 page)

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Authors: Treasure Hernandez

BOOK: A King is Born
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Same line, different nigga.
Tasha tried her best not to seem bored with his lame ass. “Tasha,” she replied as she leaned in to whisper in his ear in her attempt to be heard over the music. “And this is my girl, Keesha.” Tasha motioned her head to Keesha, who smiled and winked her eye in what she thought was a sexy gesture.
Lame-ass bitch deserves this lame-ass nigga,
Tasha thought
. Leave the winks to the movie stars
.
“You and your girl trying to grab a room or something after this?” he asked.
“I don't even know your name, and you already asking to slide out after the club lets out?” Tasha answered with an infectious smile as Keesha played the back. “Can I at least get a name? And don't give me no nicknames. I want what's printed on your driver's license.”
The handsome, thuggish guy in front of her replied, “Lamont.”
“Nice to meet you, hon,” Tasha said as she extended her hand.
Lamont had to laugh to himself as he accepted Tasha's hand inside of his and shook it. He usually didn't have no kick-it for strippers. They were there to do a job and help him to relax, but he found himself enjoying this back-and-forth banter with Tasha, who could see it in his eyes, too, that she already had him lured.
“Nice to meet you too, Ms. Tasha,” Lamont replied. “You and your girl want a drink or something? Have a seat and chop it up with me and my niggas.” He nodded toward his boys he was up in there with.
Tasha and Keesha shot them some smiles and head nods.
Lamont then went into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. He peeled off four hundred-dollar bills from his large money knot and handed two to each lady then motioned for them to sit down. Tasha sat down after stuffing the cash into her neon top, and Keesha followed suit, dollar signs flashing in her eyes.
For the next few minutes, although Tasha smiled at the gentlemen, danced seductively, and entertained effortlessly, her mind was still set on getting to Halleigh.
Tasha was still sipping on her same Sex on the Beach she'd had Lamont order for her, while Keesha was throwing back Long Islands like it was water. Tasha knew Keesha's intoxication would lead to loose lips, and would make it easier to get Halleigh's location out of her.
Keesha was overly sexual, if there was ever such a thing in a strip club, and was throwing it all in the ring to earn her keep, bouncing back and forth from one lap to another. Lamont and his friends seemed to be enjoying her show, too, because they were showering Keesha with different denominations of bills.
As the night came to a close, Lamont and his friends prepared to leave. “What's up, shorty? You and your friend rolling with us?” he asked.
“I'm down,” Keesha answered quickly. “I just need to make a run real quick, though. I can meet y'all at the hotel in like an hour.”
“Cool.” Lamont looked Tasha's way. “What about you, Ms. Tasha? You with it or what?”
Tasha shook her head. “Nah, I'ma take a rain check. My head is bangin' right now.”
Lamont sucked his teeth. “What? Off of that one little drink you babysat all night? I know your tolerance is higher than that, working in this place where your real money is in the drinks.”
“Baby, I'd had my share of drinks earlier,” Tasha lied, rubbing her forehead for effect. “I usually can hang better than this, but I don't know what the fuck is wrong with me tonight. I'm going to have to pass, though. Come check for me next weekend. You know where I'm at.” Tasha looked to Keesha. “And, Keesha, you can go ahead and roll with them now if you want. I'll handle your business here at the club for you, make your run, or whatever it was you needed to do.” Tasha was extra friendly, as if she and Keesha were BFF's (best friends forever), when, in actuality, if the bitch was on fire, Tasha wouldn't waste her spit to put her out.
Keesha was all game and excited to go make that paper, but she knew she had to take care of her business. “Good looking out, Tasha, but I don't know. I got to do that thing for Mitch too,” she stated, hesitation in her tone.
Lamont, obviously irritated by the fact that Tasha wasn't joining them and Keesha was acting like she wasn't down with it either, said, “Look, you trying to make this paper or not? I don't got all day.”
Tasha could see the wheels in Keesha's mind churning as she decided between the possibility of making all that extra money, or making the delivery. She couldn't help but smile. Her plan was coming to fruition perfectly. But just in case, she added that little extra push. “Girl, go ahead. Just tell me where I got to go, and I'll pick that up for you and take it to your boy.”
After a few more seconds of consideration and that final bit of persuasion from Tasha, Keesha decided to take Tasha up on her offer and roll with Lamont. “Okay, girl, thanks. I'm not trying to miss out on this money these niggas about to throw my way.” Keesha leaned in and gave Tasha two diva kisses, one on each cheek.
Here go this bitch with this ol' made-for-TV bullshit.
Tasha returned the fake love with a smile. “Just text me the address to the spot, and I'll handle it,” Tasha assured her. “Have fun, and call me when you get in to let me know you're safe.” Tasha then pointed a finger at Lamont. “Take care of my girl.”
Lamont nodded and winked at Tasha, then he and his boys slid out of the club with Keesha in the midst of them.
Chapter Eight
A
s soon as Tasha saw Keesha leave out of the club, she hightailed it back to the dressing room. “I've got to get to Halleigh,” she whispered to herself as she threw on a pair of skintight jeans and a Deréon hoodie.
She hurriedly slipped her feet into a pair of black peep-toes and stalked out of the club. Security at the club usually walked the girls out, but Tasha was in too much of a hurry to wait on an escort. After making it safely to her car, she threw her Nike gym bag in her trunk and then got into her car. She pulled out her cell phone and checked her messages. No new text or voice messages. “Come on, Keesha, send me the address,” she said impatiently as she sat in the car.
After waiting another five minutes, she finally got the text. “Bing!” she said with a smile. She put her car in drive and burnt rubber out of the parking lot as she headed to the north side of Flint.
As Tasha drove through Selby hood, goose bumps formed on her arms, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. The hood was too quiet, which wasn't normal at all. It was the middle of the summer, and no one was out. Even the streetlights were blown out, and the banging of dudes flossing their subwoofers was non-existent. But the hood wasn't the only thing on Tasha's mind right now. She couldn't help but wonder how many of Mitch's goons were guarding Halleigh.
Why am I even putting myself out here for this girl?
For a minute she wanted to turn the car around and hit the I-75, headed back to the South Side, where she was most comfortable, but she didn't.
After a few minutes, she located the house address that Keesha had texted her, and put her game face on. Although her insides were twisted in knots and her guts were like liquid fire, on the outside she was cool, calm, and collected. After taking a deep breath, Tasha got out of the car and headed toward the house, her heels clicking on the pavement as she made her way up the driveway.
In the text, Keesha had instructed her to use the back door, so that's exactly where she went. After opening the screen on the back door, she knocked and waited patiently for someone to answer. At first, no one came to the door, so she knocked again. When once again there was no answer, she reached for her phone to double-check the address on the text Keesha had sent her, to make sure that she was in fact at the correct house.
Before she could even pull her phone out, the door swung open, and a dark-skinned guy with a fresh Caesar looked her up and down. “What's good?” He looked over Tasha's shoulder as if he was expecting someone else to be with her. He then looked back to her and said, “You definitely ain't Keesha, ma. Who you here to see?”
“Yeah, Keesha got caught up, so Mitch sent me over here to take care of the pickup.” Tasha watched the guy ogle her as he puffed the blunt between his dark fingers. “What the fuck, nigga? Is you gon' let me in or what? You staring, like that's gon' get you any closer to this pussy. Come off them dollars, and we might be able to talk about something. Other than that, let's keep it moving and handle this business.”
Tasha made her way into the house and moved past dude, but just as she suspected, his eyes were glued to her behind. “Where everybody at?” she asked casually after scoping out the place.
“Whose everybody, baby girl?” Dude closed the door and locked it. “It's just me and you, so let's take advantage of this opportunity.” He moved up on Tasha and put his hands around her waist, a sinister smile on his face.
At first, Tasha was thinking about kneeing him right in his nuts, but then she caught a glimpse of the monitor that displayed Halleigh on the screen. Now she had a sinister smile on her face, as her plan was working out better and quicker than she expected.
There was only one thing, though. She didn't expect to see Halleigh chilling in a bed. Tasha could have sworn Keesha had told her that Mitch was holding Halleigh in a basement.
Exaggerating-ass bitch,
Tasha thought. She could have kicked herself for believing Keesha's story. For all she knew, Keesha could have been setting her up.
As Tasha observed the monitor more closely, even though Halleigh wasn't being kept in a basement, it still looked as though she was being kept against her will. From what Tasha could see, Halleigh was crying or had been crying. Her eyes looked puffy, and her hair looked as though it hadn't seen a hairdresser in days. She lay in the bed almost in a fetal position. Back in the day, Tasha might have even figured Halleigh was up in there making some money, but she knew better, since Halleigh had left the game alone when she cut up her Manolo Mami card.
The dude's hands seemed to be slipping lower down Tasha's waist and onto her butt. Most dudes knew not to touch the merchandise without making a down payment.
Fuck it, Tasha! Do what you have to do to get your girl and bounce,
Tasha thought. She then began to grind her behind into his crotch seductively.
“Don't play,” he said as he continued to get blunted.
Tasha took the blunt from his lips. “
You
don't play.” She hit the hydro. “You got the money?”
“Oh, it's like that? You don't want to play a little bit? You know what they say about all work and no play.”
“I know what they say about all play with no pay.” Tasha winked.
“I feel you, ma. I got you.” He once again looked Tasha up and down, releasing her from his clutch. “But I can see you are the type of chick that likes to handle her business first.”
On that note, the guy opened a kitchen cabinet and pulled out a medium-sized canvas bag full of money rolls. He handed the bag to Tasha.
Tasha inconspicuously looked at Halleigh through the monitors but didn't speak on it. She simply acted like she belonged. The dude was so distracted by her presence, he couldn't take his eyes off her and didn't even confirm that Mitch had actually sent her.
“You see something you like?” Tasha flirted.
The guy nodded lazily as he tucked his bottom lip into his mouth. He approached Tasha and didn't hesitate before covering her lips with his own. His hands roamed all over her body.
Tasha didn't usually kiss niggas in the mouth, but she went for broke. He tasted like weed, and Tasha was hoping that his being high would work to her advantage.
Tasha began to reciprocate, moving her hands along his body. She made a mental note of the gun she felt on his waistline. His hands moved with experience as he undid the button on the top of her jeans.
She allowed his hands to touch her body because she needed him to trust her. She pulled his shirt over his head and then removed his pistol. She allowed him to strip her down to her bra and panties, while she removed all of his clothing. He stood before her naked as the day he was born, confident with what he was packing. She understood why, because he was blessed in every physical way.
She caressed his manhood and licked on his neck then whispered, “Sit down, daddy. I want to ride you.”
Unable to conceal his excitement, he sat down in the dining room chair.
Tasha backed away slowly, as if she was about to dance for him. “I want to dance for you, daddy. Close your eyes,” she instructed.
The potential to hit a chick as tight as Tasha made the dude lose his mind. He obediently did as he was told, which was a big mistake on his part.
Tasha grabbed his gun, and in one quick motion, knocked him out with the steel. She swung twice, both times hitting him as hard as she possibly could. He fell to the floor, blood on his temple, and he wasn't moving.
Tasha moved into action. Her heart was beating out of her chest. She didn't want to yell because she was afraid to awaken the guy on the floor. Although she knew that she should shoot him, she couldn't. She wasn't a killer. So, she prayed that he'd stay out cold long enough for her to do what she had to do.
Tasha quickly began opening up doors and looking in rooms. When none appeared to be the room she'd observed Halleigh in, she immediately ran up the stairs to the second floor. “Halleigh!” she called out quietly as she made her way around the second floor, constantly looking over her shoulder.
Halleigh thought she was dreaming when she heard a female voice call her name, so she didn't reply. But then she heard it again and shot straight up in the bed. She recognized that voice.
“Halleigh!” Tasha called out again.
“Tasha?” she answered, her voice scratchy from not talking. “Tasha, is that you? Please, I'm in here,” she yelled. She went to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked from the outside. “Tasha!” Halleigh frantically began to try the doorknob.
Tasha tried to open the door from her side as well, to no avail. “Damn it! Hold on, Halleigh! I've got to go get the key!”
“Tasha, no! Don't leave me here!” Halleigh screamed.
“Halleigh, I'm coming back. I can't open this door without the key. Just sit tight.”
Tasha crept back down the stairs with the gun aimed, ready to fire. Her arm was like spaghetti, and her hand shook violently. She had to take a minute to breathe in order to calm down before she walked back onto the first floor. As soon as she rounded the corner, she was bum-rushed onto the floor.
“Bitch! I'ma kill your ass!” The guy smacked the taste from Tasha's mouth, causing the gun to slide across the floor.
Tasha frantically crawled to reach it, but the guy pulled her legs so hard, her face hit the floor, and she instantly felt her nose burst and tasted blood in her mouth. “Aghh!” she screamed as she swung her fists with power and connected with his chin.
This only infuriated her assailant more. He started throwing blows her way, and she saw lights every time he cracked her head. Tasha couldn't overpower him. He was too strong, and if she kept fighting back, both her and Halleigh would more than likely end up six feet under. “Okay, stop! Please stop!” Tasha pleaded.
“Bitch on that grimy shit,” the guy said to himself. He pried Tasha's legs open. “You should've just gave me this shit. Now I'ma take it.” He began to unbuckle his belt and unbutton his pants.
Tasha's eyes glazed over as she was taken back to the first time she had been raped. She'd never imagined in her worst nightmare that it would be happen to her all over again.
She slammed her eyes shut tightly as her attacker violated her. She told herself that she couldn't allow this to happen to her again. So, with the last little bit of strength she could muster up, she instinctively brought her knee up and hit him in the balls as hard as she could.
“Ohh, shit! ! !” he screamed in pain as he grabbed himself and rolled off her. “Fucking bitch!” he said, panting wildly.
Tasha's eyes darted around the room until she spotted the gun. She scrambled toward the gun, crawling like a snake. She was only a good three inches from the gun when her attacker quickly rebounded, once again pulling at her legs.
“Noooo!” Tasha began to scream out in fear as she kicked as hard as she could, hoping she was doing some kind of damage to the guy. She could feel her body being pulled farther and farther away from the gun. “God, please help me!” She snatched one of her ankles from his grip and turned from her stomach to her side so that her other leg twisted in his grip. With a clear shot of the perpetrator, Tasha pulled her leg up and then flushed it down into his face with all her might.
The powerful blow loosened his grip from her ankle, allowing her one more chance at freedom. Managing to get up on all fours, Tasha crawled over to the gun. As soon as her hand reached the steel, she could once again feel his hands wrap around her legs. Without even thinking twice about it, Tasha brought the gun up, closed her eyes, and then pulled the trigger several times. She didn't realize it was over until she heard his body hit the floor in a loud thump. When she opened her eyes, he was lying right beside her, his eyes wide open and staring into hers.
The crimson red blood poured from a hole in the side of his neck, and he twitched while his eyes pleaded for Tasha to help him. There was nothing she could do for him now. Not that she would, even if she could. He was the enemy, and there was no telling what he would have done to her if she hadn't shot him. Still, Tasha couldn't believe the man next to her would die by her hands.
She avoided looking him in his dying eyes and began to pat his body down until she retrieved the key that would set Halleigh free. After going through both front pockets and coming up short, she finally found one single key in his left back pocket. That had to be the key she was looking for.
Gripping the key in the palm of her hand, Tasha ran up the stairs full speed and put the key in the lock. Her hands were shaking so badly, she could barely unlock the door.
“Tasha, is that you?” Halleigh asked from the other side of the door. She'd heard commotion and screams coming from downstairs as she had waited with her ear to the door for Tasha to return. She prayed the entire time that whatever was going on down those stairs, Tasha would come out on top.

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