The People vs. Cashmere (13 page)

Authors: Karen Williams

BOOK: The People vs. Cashmere

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Chapter 16

Day turned into night, and I couldn't stay at the home Daddy was at forever. I hadn't moved from the spot that I was in, crouched in Daddy's bed, my head on his chest. The only comfort that he could give me was the feeling of his chest rising up and down on my cheek and the sound of his heartbeat against my ear.

I left as they were locking up. The only place I could think of to go was my aunt's house.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She opened it a crack and glared at me. “What do you want?”

I looked down, and my eyes teared up again. I couldn't say it. I struggled to, but my mouth was dry, and my voice cracked. She did the dirty work for me.

“You thought that boy cared about you, huh? Well, I hope you didn't give him none.” I swallowed but couldn't get rid of the gargantuan-size lump in my throat.

“She probably got to him too, huh, like a damn virus. That's what your sister sure is.”

“Can I come in?”

“No, I don't want you in my house.”

My heart sunk.

She stepped outside, her arms under her sagging breasts, and studied my long face. “She ain't shit, just like yo mama.”

I knew it was off the subject, but I asked anyway, “Why do you hate your sister so much?”

“The same reason why you hate yours. Now.”

A black car pulled up on the street near us with tinted windows. I ignored it.

“You know them?”

I glanced at it as it parked. I shook my head. “Can Iâ”

“You can't stay here.”

“I can't stay with my sister anymore, Auntie, not after what she did. I should have kicked her ass, but I been fighting her my whole life. It wouldn't have solved nothing. It wasn't until now that I understand what you been saying, and what Mama said. Desiree ain't shit, if she can do what she did to me, and she knew I cared about him.”

“Coming over here with his nose in the air like we beneath him. What he got to say about it?”

“I ain't talked to him.”

The car started up, pulled out of its space, and drove away.

“Why you didn't confront him? It takes two.”

“Couldn't.” Tears dropped as the scene flashed before me again. “Couldn't see his eyes after that. I need, I want to remember his eyes like they were before. The last time I saw him he was smiling at me. If he had done it or not done it, he's leaving and I wanna remember him like that, not like I saw him.” I shook my head. “See, you ain't gonna understand, so forget it.”

Aunt Ruby could understand, if she tried to, if she looked at herself and the situation with her husband and Desiree.

“The thing is, the best punishment I can give her is to not deal with her ever again.”

She nodded as if she agreed. Then she repeated, “You can't stay here.”

“But I have nowhere else to go.”

“No.”

“Why, Auntie?”

She glanced back at her house and said the craziest shit to me. “I don't like the way he looks at you.”

I started sobbing. “Please. I would never.”

“Her destiny has been fulfilled, and your destiny is hers. You can't run away from it.”

I bawled and took a step toward her, my arms outstretched. “I don't understand. Auntie, please.”

She took a step back and opened her door. “Cashmere, get the fuck off my property and don't ever come back, ever.”

A gust of air hit me as she slammed the door in my face. I started walking, having nowhere to go. I would've slept on the street before going back to the hotel to stay with that trifling bitch, Desiree. Fuck that!

The wind was blowing heavily. For some reason Mama's words came back to me. “In other words, life gonna be hard as hell on you, baby girl.”

A car honked loud as hell, scaring me. “Fuck you!” I flipped the bird and kept on walking.

Another passed, and a man was hanging out the passenger side and leering at me. “What's up on some pussy?”

“What's up on getting your ass kicked?” I yelled, showing him my middle finger again.

A man was walking toward me on the other side on the street. Now if I wasn't by myself or even if it was daytime, I wouldn't be bothered in the least by him. But for some reason he just so happened to cross the street and continued to walk behind me.

Seeing no one else around me, like a mom pushing her baby in a stroller, some kids my age walking by with cell phone playing some Jay-Z song, or some old lady wheeling groceries away in a cart, I was scared. Especially since he looked like a damn pimp, going, “Psst, psst,” to me.

I turned the other way just as the black Cadillac I had seen earlier at my aunt's house sped past me. I opted to go down the alley instead. The biggest mistake I ever made in my life. A mistake so bad that, after I made it, I promised myself that if I ever had kids, the first thing I would teach them before reading, writing, or looking both ways before crossing the street was to never, ever go down a dark alley at night, and hope they didn't forget about it like I did. 'Cause Daddy sho ânuff told me, since I had silky pigtails in my hair and hadn't had teeth yet, not to ever do it.

I took off running for my life. After looking over my shoulders at least five times, I noticed the man was no longer behind me. The new threat was that black Cadillac that, just as I made another turn and was a couple feet away from the other opening of the alley that would put me on the main street going in a different direction, sped in the alley and stopped me from exiting.

Some dudes I had never seen before jumped out, leaving me no choice but to run back into the heart of the alley to get away before they did God knows what to me. But my running didn't do shit, and since I had already been running, I was tired and worn-down, so they easily caught me, two of them, and dragged me back to the car, covering my mouth to silence my screaming. They tossed me in the trunk, shoved me all the way in, and slammed the top, making me feel like I was having a heart attack, and sped off.

The drive was quick, which was good, 'cause I felt like I was hyperventilating. They dragged me from the car. I was so fearful about what was going to happen that I kept my eyes closed. I felt myself being carried then shoved hard.

I opened my eyes and glanced around the room. I was in a living room. I was alone. I jumped up and looked for an exit. Once I saw it, I stood to run.

Desiree came out of a room, ass buck-naked. “Cashmere, it's gonna be okay.”

“Fuck you! Where the fuck you bring me to, you tramp?”

Her eyes were glazed, and her face looked weird.” Oh, honey, I know you're hurt, but don't be. I did what was best for us. I've entered a new world now, and well, it's only right that you enter that world also. I had to get you away from Caesar, one way or another, 'cause he was bad for business.”

Despite my promise to myself, I rushed her, my fist cocked, when a man walked into the room. I paused and mean-mugged him. “Nigga, who the fuck are you?”

“Cashmere, stop looking like that, honey.”

Why is she talking like that? What the fuck is going on?

“Remember I was telling you that I got a boyfriend. Well, here he is. I just call him
Daddy
.”

I paused and studied him everything about him, his dark-as-hell skin, full lips, and wide-bridged nose with flared-out nostrils. He was tall and lean, and carried himself like a panther. After my inspection, I knew exactly what he was.

“Bitch, are you crazy? That's a pimp.”

She laughed. “This where we stayin'.”

“Oh, bitch, you crazy! I'm getting the hell up out of here.” I ran for the door.

Desiree chased after me.

“Move!” She was pulling on me.

He came behind her.

“Calm down, little sister. Everything gonna be okay.”

“Move!”

My eyes were wide, and I was crying at the same time. He had my arms pinned behind me, and she was stuffing something white into my nose that burned at first then had me dizzy. Then they stuffed a pill inside my mouth and forced a bitter liquid down my throat.

His husky voice was in my ear, saying, “It's okay, Cashmere. Daddy gonna take care of both of you.”

I was halfway out, and you don't want to know what happened after that. One thing was for sure, it was far from over.

I felt Desiree's hands all over me, peeling my clothes away, my shirt, pants, underwear, bra, shoes, and socks. I really felt like I couldn't move my muscles, which gave out on me. I can't describe the feeling, but I know it was drug-induced. “I don't wanna.” I slapped at her hands.

Desiree held my head and whispered in my ear, “It's okay, Cash. He did the same thing to me the first time. He has to break you in. It won't take that long. I'll be right with you, Cash.”

Her voice was going in and out, and I could barely see.

Everything was moving in circles, and their voices kept echoing. I couldn't keep my head up.

“Yeah, she fine. Thank you for bringing your sister to be put on, Desiree.”

“No problem, daddy.”

My tongue was heavy in my mouth, and I felt like I was floating. He was touching me, and I didn't have the strength to push his hands away.

Desiree's hands were in my hair, and his tongue was on my titties. He put his hand between my legs. I groaned and moaned when he put his tongue down there. Couldn't help it.

He started kissing me and whispering, “You daddy's property now. Daddy gonna take good, good care of you, Cashmere.”

Smooth voice, smooth like water. Soft, soft for a man.

Hands were on me again. And his dick was in me. I felt a tiny pinch then it felt good. Real good.

He grunted. “Daddy's pussy now.”

I couldn't push him away, since my legs were held up in a firm grip.

Desiree whispered in my ear again, “It's almost over, Cash, and then you'll be like me.”

When he pulled out, I moaned again.
This is bad, bad, Cashmere. Stop fucking enjoying this shit!

My legs were lifted higher, and he slid a tongue in me again, making my moans louder.

Then he slid his dick right back into me. I was wet, wet like I was for Caesar.
Does that make me bad? A ho? Damn! Daddy, I'm sorry.

He slid out and went into me again, twisting his body.

My legs were shaking, and I felt like I had to pee.

Auntie's words came back.
“Your sister's destiny has been fulfilled, and your destiny is hers.”

Felt my eyes lids flutter gave a deep moan from the pits of my tummy. He was licking my titties again.

“Almost over, Cash.” That was Desiree. The bitch.

“Cum for daddy.”

I think I did. Wetness was all I felt before my eyes rolled back in my head.

And that was my introduction into the ho game.

I blinked rapidly. The damn mascara was irritating the hell out of me. I wasn't the same Cashmere. Well, that's what my clothes said. I was dolled up in this gold sequined tank top with thin straps across my titties, and some linen shorts. On my arms were shimmery gold bracelets, and a gold choker on my neck, forcing my thick hair to stay planted to one side in a ponytail. I had on all this damn makeup like I was a damn gypsy.

But on the inside I was the same, just a little angrier and a little more shamed. And right about now, I felt like I was a piece of fried chicken. The last piece in the bucket. That's how these four dudes were staring at me. This was to be my first trick-turning experience.

Only, it would be a series of tricks because, while it was me and Desiree in the room, three out of the four wanted to fuck me, not her. And the way the fourth dude was eye-balling me, it seemed he wanted to fuck me too.

That nigga Black had laid out the pimp commandments to me.

1. Never run away, 'cause if you do, no one will ever find you. Literally.

2. Never try to juggle more than one pimp. You'll pay for it with your life.

3. Don't try to keep even a penny of the money before turning it over to your pimp.

4. Don't look other pimps in the eye.

5. The only one that can hit your pussy raw is your pimp.

6. Don't ever do anything else besides ho'ing. That's your job, what you on earth for.

7. Number three again. He serious.

8. Don't fall in love with tricks. Fall in love with the fucking.

9. Pimps always come first before anybody, period.

10. Number 7 and 3 again.