CHAPTER SEVEN
PARADE
Parade walked into the small soul food restaurant that was closed for the night. Pete Chris, the overweight white and married owner, locked the door and licked his lips when he saw her enter. “The picture lied,” he said as he observed her body and fished for his dick in his khaki’s before grabbing it in his pants. “And for the first time I’m happy about that.”
She sighed. “Thank you.”
“Well it’s true,” he continued. “You’re much sexier in person.”
Parade looked down. The song and dance he was giving her was boring to say the least. She wanted to do her job as professionally as possible and bounce. “Where you want…” She looked at him. “You know…us to go?”
He pointed toward the back, his eyes filled with lust as he focused on her small breasts. “Follow me.” He led her to the kitchen and toward the stainless steel worktable. They were definitely alone. “Right there. That’s as good a place as any.”
She looked at it and frowned. “But, isn’t that used to prepare your meals?”
“Why you worried about it?” He paused. “You don’t have a nasty disease do you?” He licked his lips. “Now take off your clothes.”
She frowned. “Put the money in my app first.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket.
He smiled. “I don’t get to sample the goods?”
Irritated, she quickly walked toward the exit and he grabbed her hand softly. “Somebody’s all about business.” He removed his cell. “Just hope the pussy is as sweet as your game.”
She gave him the information he needed to transfer the funds and when she received a notification that the money was in her account she placed her phone into her pocket. “Where you want me?”
“Waist down on the table.” He unbuttoned his pants. “Ass up.”
She complied. Slowly she placed her upper body on the table as he yanked down her black pants and eased behind her.
“Condom.”
“I don’t have any—”
She flicked one between her fingers. “Put it on or I’m leaving.” She paused. “I told you that before I got here. And if you try something just know that I have somebody out there waiting to protect me,” she lied.
He rolled his eyes, eased the condom out of the jacket and slid it on. As he entered her body she cried silently although he didn’t know or care. She couldn’t remember the last time another man touched her outside of Jay. Parade knew in her heart that her body belonged to her husband and yet there she was, allowing another person the honor.
Still, there was a reason.
She had zero money in her accounts because the banks took it all and the bills were mounting. There were no credit cards. No secret stash and no hope. And in that one foul act, less than ten minutes, she gained three hundred dollars, enough for Melissa’s rent.
Her plan was simple.
Only deal with older men who could afford her up charge. So far married white men contacted her who had a craving for women with chocolate skin. And as long as they were paying she would be their fantasy but if she was being honest she couldn’t see an end in sight for the ninety grand and yet she had to start somewhere.
****
PARADE
The second man she slept with was simple. He ordered her to lie down on her back in his daughter’s bed as he entered her body. Things seemed normal until he pulled up to her ear and began yelling about how much he hated her calling her by a name she didn’t know. And how ungrateful she was as his child. It was clear he had some secret hate-love-attraction to his daughter and that spooked her out.
His harsh words immediately brought tears to her eyes and for one moment in her mind she replaced his face and voice with Jay’s. Since they were both Spanish the leap wasn’t difficult to achieve. Being spoken too in a foul way was her way of taking the verbal abuse that she felt Jay had a right to inflict on her for causing the accident.
But things were about to get worse.
****
It had been three days and Parade managed to save up twenty five hundred dollars. She was exhausted when she made it to the motel for her next appointment. Her client was different than she normally dealt with because he was younger but he already paid a deposit of five hundred dollars with a promise to pay more once she got there and answered a few questions.
In all honesty she was hoping he’d say never mind which is why she asked for so much money. She was wiped out and wanted a day’s break but he was willing to pay the vig.
Taking a deep breath she walked up to the door and sighed. When she was ready she knocked three times.
“It’s open,” a male’s voice called out from the other side.
Parade pushed the door open and she was immediately shocked at what she saw. She saw his picture on the app but he looked much different.
Did he put up a false photo?
And if so why?
Her client was sitting on the bed, facing the door, hands clutched in front of him. What caught her off guard was how attractive he was. He definitely didn’t look like a man who would be involved in buying whores. Then again, she didn’t look like a whore either.
What she also noticed was the sudden surprise he appeared to have when he saw her. It was as if he’d met her before although they hadn’t.
His locs, freshly twisted and tied, ran down his back. A goatee sat against his brown face and highlighted his smooth chocolate skin, sexy eyes and white teeth. Even though he was wearing a white t-shirt, designer blue jeans and fresh black Nike boots. His demeanor said king.
What shook her soul was that something about his presence, something about how he looked at her made her feel ashamed. As if he knew who she really was on the inside and was disappointed, despite the man never saying a word.
She closed the door and cleared her throat. It was her way to regain her composure. “The rest of my money please.”
He grabbed his phone off the bed, pressed a few keys and she received a notification on her phone. When she pulled it out of her pocket she was surprised at the thousand dollars he deposited, eight hundred over their agreed amount.
“You do realize you gave me—”
He stood up. “On your knees, Lisa.”
He used the fake name she gave him. “Wait, what—”
“I just paid you more,” he said firmer. “So get the fuck on your knees.”
She cleared her throat and slowly got down, before stuffing her phone into her pocket. After all he had paid more and successfully pushed her closer to the amount she needed to get their home back. Even if it was only a little closer.
“Now crawl.”
She took a deep breath and moved slowly to him on hands and knees. Once she sat at his feet he looked down at her.
“So…um…so what now?” She asked, almost shaking.
He continued to stare.
“Um…so, what—” She cleared her throat. “What’s next?”
Silence.
Tiring of being on her hands and knees she sat down and looked up at him. “What is this about? Huh? You paying all this money to look at me like you hate me? What’s up with that? I mean what do you want to do?”
Silence.
She cleared her throat. “Listen, if you’re going to be weird then…” She paused. “I’m leaving.”
He continued to look down at her, hands clutched in front of him. For some reason when she looked at him she could feel a burning sensation above her cheeks and suddenly tears rose up in her eyes, before rolling down her face. The man had barely opened his mouth and yet something about his very essence had her weak.
Before she could stop herself she balled out crying and still he said nothing. It was so weird that she wasn’t sure if he was even real. I mean, how was it possible for a man to be that silent and that overpowering?
Since he had yet to say more she got up and looked down at him. “Fuck you!” She yelled. “Do you hear me? Fuck you!”
He remained unmoved.
“I don’t know what kind of game this is but I’m out.” She turned to run out the door.
****
MERCER
Mercer sat on the toilet as his latest girl treat, Lanis, stood in front of him in the bathroom in the motel room. He removed her shirt about ten minutes ago, leaving her in her bra and jeans.
“Beautiful,” He said gazing at her body.
She smiled. “Thank you, Mercer.”
He unbuttoned her jeans and pushed them to her ankles. Placing his nose near her crotch, he inhaled deeply. Afterwards he frowned when he realized she wasn’t wearing panties. “Why?” He asked.
“Why what?”
“You were out at the movies with me like this? It’s a little whorish isn’t it?”
She frowned. “Mercer, please stop the crazy shit or I’m gone.”
Although disappointed in the lack of class, the last thing he wanted her to do was bounce. A serial killer for life, he wanted to kill her first. “Tell me you love me.”
“You know how I feel about you,” she said. “Stop with the games.”
“I want to hear the words.”
“I love you.”
He smiled.
“Mercer,” she continued. “You ask me that every time we’re together. What happens if I don’t say it?”
He ran the tub. “Get in.” He paused. “I need to wash you.”
RING. RING.
Mercer grabbed his cell phone off the sink. “Hello.”
“Look, I need you to check out this female for me,” Am’rak said.
“What’s her name?”
“Just got her screen name, Lisa, and a pic.” Am’rak paused. “But after I send it I need you to get on top of it ASAP.”